Clarity on Bush’s Torture Push

Posted on Sep 18, 2006

In case you’re wondering what people like Sen. John McCain and Colin Powell are fighting against in Bush’s interrogation legislation, read about the euphemistically named “temperature extremes” treatment here.

Note the Orwellian euphemism: “temperature extremes.” Let’s follow Orwell’s example and ask directly what that actually means in real English. Here’s one account from the field:

“When the Navy SEALS would interrogate people, they were using ice water to lower the body temperature of the prisoner and they would take his rectal temperature in order to make sure that he didn’t die. I didn’t see this, but that’s what many, many prisoners told me who came out of the SEAL Compound, and I also heard that from a guard who was working in our detention facility, who was present during an interrogation that the SEAL had done.”